


On a Pale Horse

by Digitalwave



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Gen, Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-25
Updated: 2012-03-25
Packaged: 2017-11-02 13:17:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/369377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Digitalwave/pseuds/Digitalwave
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The wind brought the echo of the dark parade...</p>
            </blockquote>





	On a Pale Horse

**Author's Note:**

> This story was inspired by Goethe's 'The Erl King'
> 
> It's been so long since I've had time to write I was afraid I'd forgotten how. I was inspired to write the story after we went to see a performance of 'An Evening With Poe.' It's darker than my usual but, still, I hope that you enjoy reading it. :)

Dean drove, miles eaten up underneath the tires as he raced back toward the cabin. Without the familiar feel of the thrum of the Impala’s growl pounding through his skin it was the closest thing they had that felt like home now.

Sam lay slumped, head lolling against the window, lost again in terrible, waking dreams. He’d grown quieter the last few days. Dean felt like screaming in frustration at having to watch his brother slowly slip away from him. Again, damn it all to Hell!

He hoped Bobby might have a plan, something they could use to reach him. Because everything Dean was trying these days sure as fuck wasn’t working.

Suddenly Sam jolted up, eyes burning in his pale face as he stared out into the darkness. His hand reached up, flat against the glass as he turned to look at Dean, horror etched into every line of his face.

“Dean, he’s here! He’s calling, can’t you hear?”

Dean looked out into the mist swirling around the car as they moved through the darkness, seeing nothing but blurred, indistinct shapes as they passed.

“Sam, what? I don’t see anything out there but trees and a whole lot of nothing.”

Sam’s shoulders shook even harder as his head turned toward the glass again, his eyes seeing things that Dean couldn’t. His voice trembled as hard as his hands as he answered.

“The Erl King, Dean. He’s calling, he says I have to come…” Lightening flashed, causing Sam’s face to look skeletal for a second, chilling Dean. “Can’t you hear him? He’s right outside the door.”

Dean looked again, knowing with all the crazy in their lives, anything was possible. But all he saw was darkness and the rain streaking the windshield as their crappy wipers tried to keep up. “Sam, dude, we’re in a freaking car going seventy miles an hour. There’s nobody out there but the wind.”

His heart ached as he watched his brother out of the corner of his eye, Sam’s right hand pressing cruelly into the scarred flesh of his left. Dean heard the softly muttered, ‘not real, not real…’ as Sam’s eyes continued to track the shadows blurring by outside.

Sam jerked in the seat next to him minutes later, tension pouring off him in waves.

Dean reached for Sam’s knee, felt the tremors causing the muscles to jerk under his hand.

“Sam, what? Whatta’ you see out there?”

“She’s…she’s beautiful, Dean, his daughter. The Erl King says I’m her’s now. That I belong to them.” Sam turned back to look at Dean, tears wet on his cheeks. “Dean, I don’t want to go… Please, let me stay with you.”

Dean searched the shadows outside the car as they flew past. All he could see were ancient looking Willow trees, their branches bare in the scarce light the headlights gave as they passed by.

“There’s nothing there, bro, just trees.” Dean’s hand tightened on Sam’s knee. “Feel that, Sam, that’s real. You’re right here next to me, nothing’s gonna get you. We’ll be at the cabin in less than an hour. Close your eyes and try and get some sleep. I’ll keep watch for you, promise.”

Sam nodded, shifting to be closer to Dean as he folded his long limbs tighter, sharp tremors still running through his frame. As he closed his eyes, Dean heard soft whispers again of, ‘Not real, not real. Please, please, go away.’ His voice finally trailed off into silence.

Dean pressed even harder on the gas pedal, cursing the car as it strained to keep up with his demands. Less than an hour later he pulled into the rutted drive leading up to the old cabin. No lights were on, Bobby must have given up and gone on to bed rather than wait up for them.

The rain stopped even though large drops still hit the car from the branches overhead as he rolled to a stop. Dean shivered, pulling his jacket closer around him, the cold from the frosty air outside the car crept in around the edges of the door.

He looked over at his brother, saw the deep shadows under his eyes as he slept on. Which surprised Dean a little; lately any noise, no matter how small, tended to startle Sam from sleep. It only showed how exhausted he must be. Reluctantly he reached over, gently shook Sam’s shoulder.

“Sammy, hey, we’re here, wake up. There’s a real bed waiting for you inside, kiddo.” Sam toppled toward him at the touch but didn’t wake. Dean’s heart lurched painfully in his chest as his fingers touched Sam’s skin, frantically searching for a pulse. It felt like ice, cold as the grave.

“Sam, do you hear me? Don’t you dare do this to me!” Dean grabbed both shoulders, dragging Sam upright as he shook him even harder, panic crackling through his voice. “Sam!”

Horror gripped Dean even tighter as the echo of maniacal laugher, mingled with the sound of hoof beats, filled the air around the car. While inside, no matter how he begged, all was silence.

Fin


End file.
